Thursday, April 30, 2009

Ripping Yarn

I've reached the ankle of the still-nameless sock that was inspired by a wallpaper from Upstairs, Downstairs.

You must pardon the photograph–I'm away from my proper camera, and used the one that lives in my computer.

After a day of pondering the leg I've decided to rip it all back and re-knit it. What you can't see in the photograph are the flaws and wobbles. They are legion. This is my first sock in two colors, you see, and a new design. I couldn't resist experimenting along the way.

I began on two circulars–my usual method–with the work right side-out. Then came a problem I've never had before: a slight buckling at the transition from needle to needle. No amount fiddling helped, so I flipped the sock inside out. This eliminated the buckling and gave me effortless, perfectly tensioned floats all around; but the flopping ends of the loose needle kept getting in the way of the working yarns. Annoying.

I switched to five double-points. First right side-out (satisfactory), then inside-out (perfect). I get a far looser gauge with the double points (though they're the same size and material as the circulars) and the ankle of the sock is bigger than the cuff.

You may be wondering who on earth looks so closely at my socks that any of this would matter to them. Nobody. Nobody but me, that is, and every time I put it on I'd grit my teeth.

So, my friends, it's rippin' time. But from the smoking ruins will rise a new sock, a better sock, a sock that the other knitters won't make fun of on the playground.

You've given me the permission I need to rip out my own socks. They sit in a drawer all lonely and unworn because I can't bring myself to put them on due to the numerous mistakes that my eyes pick up on. I'm going to rip away, thanks to you! Life's too short for bad socks!

Here in Norway we have always used five needles for socks:) Never knew it could be done otherwise. Thanks for making it normal to rip out something that isn't perfect in the eye of the maker. Why should we have to justify it? Keep going, and please keep sharing!

Rather than rip, if it isn't too late, bind off the bottom and attach an icord strap for a nice cell phone cozy. My mom has an ever expanding wardrobe of half sock cozies and can coordinate to most any outfit. She also relishes the fact that her cell phone is always easily found dangling around her neck.

Frogging is no shame. When making my first pair of socks I had actually *finished* the first sock. After getting past the heel with the second sock and doing it the way that a friend advised me to I realized the first one could not remain the way that it was. (I had moved the yarn to the front before slipping the yarn purl-wise in the heel- I didn't need to do that and it looked much better on the second sock) I undid the toe and ripped all the way back to before the heel, redid it, and was sooo happy.

oh gawd that would kill me... i've had to rip back a few times on a number of projects because i was dissatisfied with the outcome and it made me cry every time. the end product always end up being much more of a joy to me though.

Ribbity ribbity rip it... I'm knitting my first socks, an inch down on rib, and undoubtedly I'll have to rip back - the ribbing is too loose - but I want to get more used to dpns and sock yarn first. Yours, Franklin, are something to aspire to!

I'm incredibly anal about my socks. I keep telling myself it's going to be on MY foot, inside MY shoe, but still if it ain't perfect, I'll redo it everytime. Its one of the few things, maybe the only thing, in life that I have complete control over.

Well, it's gorgeous & well worth the trouble, I say. I once had to rip out the entire back of a coat...in intarsia, no less, so ripping was very slow...and now whenever I have to rip, I remind myself that after THAT, I can rip out anything & be conforted that it's not as hard as that coat was. (The coat ended up wonderful & is well loved by its owner...absolutely worth it!)

I love the stitch pattern and colors, they compliment one another. I can totally emphasize with the need to rip if things aren't perfect. I always tell myself I can handle the tension problems and/or stitch errors, but I always have to rip back.

Your computer has a camera-Ok. It is a bit grainy, that photo, and if I remember rightly, the background to those socks is a burgundy type of red. What fun though. It is nice to be able to rip and make it right. They will be glorious when you re-knit them. I have ribbing on my very first ever kneehighs to rip and redo tighter. Kneehighs need to Stay. Up. ; )

There IS a learning curve to it, but, I find fair isle in the round goes great on a single 9 inch circular. They are hard to find and an 11 or 12 may be what works for you, depending on what circumference you are aiming for. But, having no needle changes and the stitches more or less spread out all the time works great for me. I work inside out so the floats are on the outside and get ever so little bit extra of stretch to prevent tightness.

Linda W. mentioned using a short circular needle for your socks. I usually use one of them for my socks. For me, the stitches get stretched a bit while knitting, so when they spring back a bit after washing they're just about right. Getting started is a bit fiddly, I like doing the ribbing on dps, then transfer to circ. for leg. I have heard from friends that they have trouble holding onto the short circs...my hands are quite small, so I can easily use them.

I can totally identify with the need to have it just right because you know otherwise the thing you spent so much time knitting will just live in a drawer somewhere. What I can't identify with is the talent level to design such an amazing pattern just from looking at some wallpaper on TV!

My theory, formed whilst ripping something myself, was that willingness to rip and re-knit is the sign of an accomplished knitter. If you didn't have confidence that you could do it better the second time you wouldn't bother to rip. ::massages shoulder injured during intense self-back-patting::

btw I just learned how to do stranded knitting inside out -- what a stupendous idea!

Rip away! Some projects open us to so much discovery that one has to start over because of those discoveries! Nothing worse then a project that is half crap and half perfect! (not that I am calling your work crap, speaking of personal experience here) I love a craft that continues to teach us to expand!

It's nice to see a prominent knitblogger extolling the virtues of knitting fair-isle inside-out! I used to knit socks (even in a single color) inside-out, and my endpaper mitts were also knit inside-out. Somewhere along the line I unconsciously started knitting right-side out, but whenever I have fair-isle to do in the round I still do it inside-out to stretch the floats. :-)

I am a sock virgin (as in never completing one!) but I do know a lot about frogging things.

Last night I realized that the spiral granny squares I was putting together were in no set order like I wanted them because I didn't pay attention to that when putting them together! So I'm in the process of ripping it all apart (back to the squares themselves) and beginning the connection process all over again.

My only experience with 2 colors in knitting socks left me with a caston almost too tight to pull on, and very baggy legs.Yours looks great to me. But you are our inspiration for ripping as needed, and I'm getting to be a so much better "ripper" Thanks.Don't downplay your picture, though; it's great.Dee

Yes! Rip away. I'd feel better if I were you. Although I can't come anywhere near to matching the perfection that I see already, I've found that once I rip it back and re-do I'm always glad. Good luck!

Having knit both socks and mittens in colorwork on four needles, I can tell you that as long as the floats on the back are sufficient, the slight tension issues will go away after a couple of wearings and washings. Everything settles in and it looks perfect.

Sorry, Franklin, I should look this up, but I'm confused about inside out color work for even tension. I get the theory of it, but it's all purling right? When I tried it (on a sock) I failed miserably. Is there a trick I don't know?

I'm a brand-spankin' new knitter. I did a full skein of a seed stitch scarf, knit one, purl one. I deftly added a new skein and was on my merry way--until I wasn't. I didn't mind ripping back to fix it, but I couldn't figure out how to get the stitches back on the needles properly. Rip. Try. Rip more. Try again. Now I'm back to two lovely balls of yarn.

I can totally relate. No one looks very closely at our socks, except for another knitter. It would not do to have less than perfect knitting adorn our toes. Rip away and I look forward to seeing the finished pair. (Beautiful pattern, by the way).

ran across your blog while i was surfin' around some others. and you have some great content here. there's lots to check out and i'm really enjoying my stay. i'd like to invite you for a pop on over to my blog if you'd like. i'd love to have you. :) i've subscribed to your feed so i'll be coming back for sure.

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